Eurotopics.net

Katri Raik, the long-time mayor of the Estonian border town of Narva, now faces competition. The opposition parties Centre Party and Plan B elected a new mayor from their ranks during a city council meeting on Monday. Centre Party member Jaan Toots has already set up office in City Hall, although the legality of the move remains unclear.

Incursions by large drones are causing concern in the three Baltic states: on Tuesday, for the first time, Nato fighter jets shot down a drone over a lake in Estonia. On Wednesday, there was an official air raid alert in Lithuania's capital, Vilnius. A row over drone strikes in Latvia in the early May even led to the collapse of the country's coalition government.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has proposed that Ukraine become an 'associate member' of the EU, as a kind of preliminary step towards full membership. Kyiv would, for example, be allowed to attend the meetings of EU decision-making bodies, albeit without voting rights. Reactions to the idea have been mixed – also in Europe's opinion sections.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has drawn international criticism for his treatment of several activists who had been detained by Israeli forces on board the Gaza aid flotilla Global Sumud. A video posted by the far-right politician shows him mocking the activists, who are on their knees with their hand tied behind their backs, and waving an Israeli flag. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has distanced himself from the incident.